1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) base station that holds wireless communication with a client terminal station.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional LANs were wired LANs based on, for example, IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.3 standard. Recently, wireless LANs based on IEEE 802.11 standard have spread.
Prior art documents related to the present invention are as follows:
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 06-178352;
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 06-245260;
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 08-256162; and
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-246969.
If a wireless LAN is constructed in a company or in a home, the number of client terminal stations wirelessly connected to a wireless LAN base station does not change greatly. However, if a wireless LAN is constructed in, for example, an Internet Café, the number of client terminal stations wirelessly connected to the wireless LAN base station changes as the number of customers increases or decreases.
If the number of wireless LAN modules provided at the wireless LAN base station is determined according to the maximum estimated number of client terminal stations wirelessly connected to the wireless LAN base station, it is possible to deal with the change of the number of client terminal stations. This, however, disadvantageously consumes power and the like if the number of clients terminal stations decreases.